ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: track · present · court · fall · safe · pitcher · lie · face

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. present — a gift
  3. fall — to drop
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. track — to keep track
  7. fall — the season
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. face — to confront
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. track — a path
  13. court — of law
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. fall — to drop
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. present — there
  18. court — of a king
  19. court — for sport
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. track — a song
  22. face — to point toward
  23. lie — to recline
  24. face — part of the head

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com